Appendix A

Notes entitled ‘About This Report’

Explanatory Notes
Sampling Methods
Soil Descriptions
Rock Descriptions
Symbols and Abbreviations
Introduction
These notes have been provided to amplify DP's
report in regard to classification methods, field
procedures and the comments section. Not all are
necessarily relevant to all reports.
DP's reports are based on information gained from
limited subsurface excavations and sampling,
supplemented by knowledge of local geology and
experience. For this reason, they must be
regarded as interpretive rather than factual
documents, limited to some extent by the scope of
information on which they rely.
Copyright
This report is the property of Douglas Partners Pty
Ltd. The report may only be used for the purpose
for which it was commissioned and in accordance
with the Conditions of Engagement for the
commission supplied at the time of proposal.
Unauthorised use of this report in any form
whatsoever is prohibited.
Borehole and Test Pit Logs
The borehole and test pit logs presented in this
report are an engineering and/or geological
interpretation of the subsurface conditions, and
their reliability will depend to some extent on
frequency of sampling and the method of drilling or
excavation. Ideally, continuous undisturbed
sampling or core drilling will provide the most
reliable assessment, but this is not always
practicable or possible to justify on economic
grounds. In any case the boreholes and test pits
represent only a very small sample of the total
subsurface profile.
Interpretation of the information and its application
to design and construction should therefore take
into account the spacing of boreholes or pits, the
frequency of sampling, and the possibility of other
than 'straight line' variations between the test
locations.
Groundwater
Where groundwater levels are measured in
boreholes there are several potential problems,
namely:
• In low permeability soils groundwater may
enter the hole very slowly or perhaps not at all
during the time the hole is left open;
• A localised, perched water table may lead to
an erroneous indication of the true water
table;
• Water table levels will vary from time to time
with seasons or recent weather changes.
They may not be the same at the time of
construction as are indicated in the report;
and
• The use of water or mud as a drilling fluid will
mask any groundwater inflow. Water has to
be blown out of the hole and drilling mud must
first be washed out of the hole if water
measurements are to be made.
More reliable measurements can be made by
installing standpipes which are read at intervals
over several days, or perhaps weeks for low
permeability soils. Piezometers, sealed in a
particular stratum, may be advisable in low
permeability soils or where there may be
interference from a perched water table.
Reports
The report has been prepared by qualified
personnel, is based on the information obtained
from field and laboratory testing, and has been
undertaken to current engineering standards of
interpretation and analysis. Where the report has
been prepared for a specific design proposal, the
information and interpretation may not be relevant
if the design proposal is changed. If this happens,
DP will be pleased to review the report and the
sufficiency of the investigation work.
Every care is taken with the report as it relates to
interpretation of subsurface conditions, discussion
of geotechnical and environmental aspects, and
recommendations or suggestions for design and
construction. However, DP cannot always
anticipate or assume responsibility for:
• Unexpected variations in ground conditions.
The potential for this will depend partly on
borehole or pit spacing and sampling
frequency;
• Changes in policy or interpretations of policy
by statutory authorities; or
• The actions of contractors responding to
commercial pressures.
If these occur, DP will be pleased to assist with
investigations or advice to resolve the matter.
July 2010
Site Anomalies
In the event that conditions encountered on site
during construction appear to vary from those
which were expected from the information
contained in the report, DP requests that it be
immediately notified. Most problems are much
more readily resolved when conditions are
exposed rather than at some later stage, well after
the event.

Information for Contractual Purposes

Where information obtained from this report is
provided for tendering purposes, it is
recommended that all information, including the
written report and discussion, be made available.
In circumstances where the discussion or
comments section is not relevant to the contractual
situation, it may be appropriate to prepare a
specially edited document. DP would be pleased
to assist in this regard and/or to make additional
report copies available for contract purposes at a
nominal charge.

Site Inspection
The company will always be pleased to provide
engineering inspection services for geotechnical
and environmental aspects of work to which this
report is related. This could range from a site visit
to confirm that conditions exposed are as
expected, to full time engineering presence on
site.

July 2010
Sampling
Sampling is carried out during drilling or test pitting
to allow engineering examination (and laboratory
testing where required) of the soil or rock.
Disturbed samples taken during drilling provide
information on colour, type, inclusions and,
depending upon the degree of disturbance, some
information on strength and structure.
Undisturbed samples are taken by pushing a thin-
walled sample tube into the soil and withdrawing it
to obtain a sample of the soil in a relatively
undisturbed state. Such samples yield information
on structure and strength, and are necessary for
laboratory determination of shear strength and
compressibility. Undisturbed sampling is generally
effective only in cohesive soils.
Test Pits
Test pits are usually excavated with a backhoe or
an excavator, allowing close examination of the in-
situ soil if it is safe to enter into the pit. The depth
of excavation is limited to about 3 m for a backhoe
and up to 6 m for a large excavator. A potential
disadvantage of this investigation method is the
larger area of disturbance to the site.
Large Diameter Augers
Boreholes can be drilled using a rotating plate or
short spiral auger, generally 300 mm or larger in
diameter commonly mounted on a standard piling
rig. The cuttings are returned to the surface at
intervals (generally not more than 0.5 m) and are
disturbed but usually unchanged in moisture
content. Identification of soil strata is generally
much more reliable than with continuous spiral
flight augers, and is usually supplemented by
occasional undisturbed tube samples.
Continuous Spiral Flight Augers
The borehole is advanced using 90-115 mm
diameter continuous spiral flight augers which are
withdrawn at intervals to allow sampling or in-situ
testing. This is a relatively economical means of
drilling in clays and sands above the water table.
Samples are returned to the surface, or may be
collected after withdrawal of the auger flights, but
they are disturbed and may be mixed with soils
from the sides of the hole. Information from the
drilling (as distinct from specific sampling by SPTs
or undisturbed samples) is of relatively low
reliability, due to the remoulding, possible mixing
or softening of samples by groundwater.
Non-core Rotary Drilling
The borehole is advanced using a rotary bit, with
water or drilling mud being pumped down the drill
rods and returned up the annulus, carrying the drill
cuttings. Only major changes in stratification can
be determined from the cuttings, together with
some information from the rate of penetration.
Where drilling mud is used this can mask the
cuttings and reliable identification is only possible
from separate sampling such as SPTs.
Continuous Core Drilling
A continuous core sample can be obtained using a
diamond tipped core barrel, usually with a 50 mm
internal diameter. Provided full core recovery is
achieved (which is not always possible in weak
rocks and granular soils), this technique provides a
very reliable method of investigation.
Standard Penetration Tests
Standard penetration tests (SPT) are used as a
means of estimating the density or strength of soils
and also of obtaining a relatively undisturbed
sample. The test procedure is described in
Australian Standard 1289, Methods of Testing
Soils for Engineering Purposes - Test 6.3.1.
The test is carried out in a borehole by driving a 50
mm diameter split sample tube under the impact of
a 63 kg hammer with a free fall of 760 mm. It is
normal for the tube to be driven in three
successive 150 mm increments and the 'N' value
is taken as the number of blows for the last 300
mm. In dense sands, very hard clays or weak
rock, the full 450 mm penetration may not be
practicable and the test is discontinued.
The test results are reported in the following form.
• In the case where full penetration is obtained
with successive blow counts for each 150 mm
of, say, 4, 6 and 7 as:
4,6,7
N=13
• In the case where the test is discontinued
before the full penetration depth, say after 15
blows for the first 150 mm and 30 blows for
the next 40 mm as:
15, 30/40 mm
July 2010
The results of the SPT tests can be related
empirically to the engineering properties of the
soils.

Dynamic Cone Penetrometer Tests /

Perth Sand Penetrometer Tests
Dynamic penetrometer tests (DCP or PSP) are
carried out by driving a steel rod into the ground
using a standard weight of hammer falling a
specified distance. As the rod penetrates the soil
the number of blows required to penetrate each
successive 150 mm depth are recorded. Normally
there is a depth limitation of 1.2 m, but this may be
extended in certain conditions by the use of
extension rods. Two types of penetrometer are
commonly used.
• Perth sand penetrometer - a 16 mm diameter
flat ended rod is driven using a 9 kg hammer
dropping 600 mm (AS 1289, Test 6.3.3). This
test was developed for testing the density of
sands and is mainly used in granular soils and
filling.
• Cone penetrometer - a 16 mm diameter rod
with a 20 mm diameter cone end is driven
using a 9 kg hammer dropping 510 mm (AS
1289, Test 6.3.2). This test was developed
initially for pavement subgrade investigations,
and correlations of the test results with
California Bearing Ratio have been published
by various road authorities.

July 2010
Description and Classification Methods
The methods of description and classification of Definitions of grading terms used are:
soils and rocks used in this report are based on • Well graded - a good representation of all
Australian Standard AS 1726, Geotechnical Site particle sizes
Investigations Code. In general, the descriptions • Poorly graded - an excess or deficiency of
include strength or density, colour, structure, soil particular sizes within the specified range
or rock type and inclusions.
• Uniformly graded - an excess of a particular
particle size
Soil Types
Soil types are described according to the • Gap graded - a deficiency of a particular
predominant particle size, qualified by the grading particle size with the range
of other particles present:
Cohesive Soils
Type Particle size (mm) Cohesive soils, such as clays, are classified on the
Boulder >200 basis of undrained shear strength. The strength
may be measured by laboratory testing, or
Cobble 63 - 200
estimated by field tests or engineering
Gravel 2.36 - 63 examination. The strength terms are defined as
Sand 0.075 - 2.36 follows:
Silt 0.002 - 0.075
Clay <0.002 Description Abbreviation Undrained
shear strength
(kPa)
The sand and gravel sizes can be further
Very soft vs <12
subdivided as follows:
Soft s 12 - 25
Type Particle size (mm) Firm f 25 - 50
Coarse gravel 20 - 63 Stiff st 50 - 100
Medium gravel 6 - 20 Very stiff vst 100 - 200
Fine gravel 2.36 - 6 Hard h >200
Coarse sand 0.6 - 2.36
Medium sand 0.2 - 0.6 Cohesionless Soils
Cohesionless soils, such as clean sands, are
Fine sand 0.075 - 0.2
classified on the basis of relative density, generally
from the results of standard penetration tests
The proportions of secondary constituents of soils (SPT), cone penetration tests (CPT) or dynamic
are described as: penetrometers (PSP). The relative density terms
are given below:
Term Proportion Example
And Specify Clay (60%) and Relative Abbreviation SPT N CPT qc
Sand (40%) Density value value
(MPa)
Adjective 20 - 35% Sandy Clay
Very loose vl <4 <2
Slightly 12 - 20% Slightly Sandy
Clay Loose l 4 - 10 2 -5
With some 5 - 12% Clay with some Medium md 10 - 30 5 - 15
sand dense
With a trace of 0 - 5% Clay with a trace Dense d 30 - 50 15 - 25
of sand Very vd >50 >25
dense

July 2010
Soil Origin
It is often difficult to accurately determine the origin
of a soil. Soils can generally be classified as:
• Residual soil - derived from in-situ weathering
of the underlying rock;
• Transported soils - formed somewhere else
and transported by nature to the site; or
• Filling - moved by man.

Transported soils may be further subdivided into:

• Alluvium - river deposits
• Lacustrine - lake deposits
• Aeolian - wind deposits
• Littoral - beach deposits
• Estuarine - tidal river deposits
• Talus - scree or coarse colluvium
• Slopewash or Colluvium - transported
downslope by gravity assisted by water.
Often includes angular rock fragments and
boulders.

July 2010
Rock Strength
Rock strength is defined by the Point Load Strength Index (Is(50)) and refers to the strength of the rock
substance and not the strength of the overall rock mass, which may be considerably weaker due to defects.
The test procedure is described by Australian Standard 4133.4.1 - 1993. The terms used to describe rock
strength are as follows:

Term Abbreviation Point Load Index Approx Unconfined

Is(50) MPa Compressive Strength MPa*
Extremely low EL <0.03 <0.6
Very low VL 0.03 - 0.1 0.6 - 2
Low L 0.1 - 0.3 2-6
Medium M 0.3 - 1.0 6 - 20
High H 1-3 20 - 60
Very high VH 3 - 10 60 - 200
Extremely high EH >10 >200
* Assumes a ratio of 20:1 for UCS to Is(50)

Degree of Weathering
The degree of weathering of rock is classified as follows:

Term Abbreviation Description

Extremely weathered EW Rock substance has soil properties, i.e. it can be remoulded
and classified as a soil but the texture of the original rock is
still evident.
Highly weathered HW Limonite staining or bleaching affects whole of rock
substance and other signs of decomposition are evident.
Porosity and strength may be altered as a result of iron
leaching or deposition. Colour and strength of original fresh
rock is not recognisable
Moderately MW Staining and discolouration of rock substance has taken
weathered place
Slightly weathered SW Rock substance is slightly discoloured but shows little or no
change of strength from fresh rock
Fresh stained Fs Rock substance unaffected by weathering but staining
visible along defects
Fresh Fr No signs of decomposition or staining

Degree of Fracturing
The following classification applies to the spacing of natural fractures in diamond drill cores. It includes
bedding plane partings, joints and other defects, but excludes drilling breaks.

Term Description
Fragmented Fragments of <20 mm
Highly Fractured Core lengths of 20-40 mm with some fragments
Fractured Core lengths of 40-200 mm with some shorter and longer sections
Slightly Fractured Core lengths of 200-1000 mm with some shorter and loner sections
Unbroken Core lengths mostly > 1000 mm

July 2010
Rock Quality Designation
The quality of the cored rock can be measured using the Rock Quality Designation (RQD) index, defined
as:

RQD % = cumulative length of 'sound' core sections ≥ 100 mm long

total drilled length of section being assessed

where 'sound' rock is assessed to be rock of low strength or better. The RQD applies only to natural
fractures. If the core is broken by drilling or handling (i.e. drilling breaks) then the broken pieces are fitted
back together and are not included in the calculation of RQD.

Stratification Spacing
For sedimentary rocks the following terms may be used to describe the spacing of bedding partings:

Term Separation of Stratification Planes

Thinly laminated < 6 mm
Laminated 6 mm to 20 mm
Very thinly bedded 20 mm to 60 mm
Thinly bedded 60 mm to 0.2 m
Medium bedded 0.2 m to 0.6 m
Thickly bedded 0.6 m to 2 m
Very thickly bedded >2m

July 2010
Introduction
These notes summarise abbreviations commonly Orientation
used on borehole logs and test pit reports. The inclination of defects is always measured from
the perpendicular to the core axis.

Drilling or Excavation Methods h horizontal

C Core Drilling v vertical
R Rotary drilling sh sub-horizontal
SFA Spiral flight augers sv sub-vertical
NMLC Diamond core - 52 mm dia
NQ Diamond core - 47 mm dia
HQ Diamond core - 63 mm dia Coating or Infilling Term
PQ Diamond core - 81 mm dia cln clean
co coating
he healed
Water inf infilled
Z Water seep stn stained
V Water level ti tight
vn veneer

Sampling and Testing

Coating Descriptor
A Auger sample
ca calcite
B Bulk sample
cbs carbonaceous
D Disturbed sample
cly clay
E Environmental sample
fe iron oxide
U50 Undisturbed tube sample (50mm)
mn manganese
W Water sample
slt silty
pp pocket penetrometer (kPa)
PID Photo ionisation detector
PL Point load strength Is(50) MPa
Shape
S Standard Penetration Test
cu curved
V Shear vane (kPa)
ir irregular
pl planar
st stepped
Description of Defects in Rock un undulating
The abbreviated descriptions of the defects should
be in the following order: Depth, Type, Orientation,
Coating, Shape, Roughness and Other. Drilling
and handling breaks are not usually included on Roughness
the logs. po polished
ro rough
Defect Type sl slickensided
B Bedding plane sm smooth
Cs Clay seam vr very rough
Cv Cleavage
Cz Crushed zone
Ds Decomposed seam
F Fault Other
J Joint fg fragmented
Lam lamination bnd band
Pt Parting qtz quartz
Sz Sheared Zone
V Vein

July 2010
Graphic Symbols for Soil and Rock

General Sedimentary Rocks

Asphalt Boulder conglomerate

Road base Conglomerate

Concrete Conglomeratic sandstone

Filling Sandstone

Soils Siltstone

Topsoil Laminite

Peat Mudstone, claystone, shale

Clay Coal

Silty clay Limestone

Sandy clay Metamorphic Rocks

Gravelly clay Slate, phyllite, schist

Shaly clay Gneiss

Silt Quartzite

Clayey silt
Igneous Rocks

Sandy silt Granite

Sand Dolerite, basalt, andesite

Clayey sand Dacite, epidote

Silty sand Tuff, breccia

Gravel Porphyry

Sandy gravel

Cobbles, boulders

Talus

July 2010